Prairie Heights

Next Gen Pastor

Full-Time · $55,000 - $65,000

Department: Next Gen Reports to: Executive Pastor Schedule: Sunday-Thursday, including Weekend Services and Wednesday evenings Classification: Full-Time Exempt Prairie Heights Overview: Prairie Heights exists to connect those apart from God with Christ and a church family. We believe the next generation is not just the future of the church, they are the church right now. From the moment a baby is dedicated to the day a senior walks across the stage, Prairie Heights is committed to creating environments where kids and students can have fun, be safe, and know Jesus. The Next Gen Pastor ensures that every family who walks through our doors knows their kids matter and that the local church is the best place for them to grow. What Prairie Heights is Looking for: Prairie Heights is looking for a pastor who is energized by mentoring, leading, and empowering others in their spiritual journey from birth to 18. A great communicator who can relate well to kids, students, parents, and the leaders who serve them. This person possesses a pastoral heart, strong leadership with adults, and the ability to equip both parents and volunteer teams to be the primary influencers in the spiritual formation of the next generation. The Next Gen Pastor will be responsible for overseeing the full scope of Prairie Heights’ Next Generation ministries: Prairie Heights Kids (birth through 5th grade) and Oxygen Student Ministries (6th through 12th grade). This role has two significant priorities. First, to support, lead, encourage, and care well for Next Gen staff, recognizing and modeling the culture and care we desire for people at Prairie Heights. Second, to directly lead Prairie Heights Kids ministries, including vision casting, volunteer team leadership, and curriculum oversight. This position is part of the Leadership Team. What You’ll Do: Next Gen Vision & Strategy - Provide and communicate vision, strategy, staff planning and direction for all Next Gen ministries at Prairie Heights (Prairie Heights Kids and Oxygen) - Lead the Next Gen team through annual strategy planning, objectives, budgets, and standards - Create a seamless ministry experience from birth through 18, ensuring smooth transitions between age-level environments (particularly 5th graders moving into Oxygen) - Coordinate parent engagement strategies across Prairie Heights Kids and Oxygen to equip families as the primary place of emotionally healthy spiritual growth - Typical work week: Sunday through Thursday, including all weekend services and Wednesday evenings Next Gen Staff Leadership - Direct, support, and develop all Next Gen staff, including Kids Leaders, Kids Coordinator, and Youth Pastor in their daily work, emotionally healthy spiritual growth, and professional development. - Conduct regular one-on-one check-ins with staff focused on spiritual maturity, whole health, leadership growth, and core values alignment - Recruit, train, and empower volunteer leaders and volunteers as part of the Next Gen teams - Identify and develop volunteer leaders as vision carriers who own the mission and bring others along - Lead volunteers through the growth process: Volunteer-Apprentice-Leader-Coach Prairie Heights Kids (Birth through 5th Grade) - Directly lead Prairie Heights Kids ministries, creating the vision and overseeing execution - Ensure excellent parent and child experiences in rooms and large group settings - Be the go-to person on Sundays and event days for parents and volunteers - Work collaboratively to equip parents beyond the Sunday Experience - Connect with parents and kids so they feel valued and cared for - Execute spiritual growth processes for kids such as Yes! to Christ Sundays - Oversee curriculum strategy and implementation - Lead all aspects of the Prairie Heights Kids volunteer team, including scheduling, communication, training, and vision casting for birth through 5th grade Oxygen/Student Ministries (6th through 12th Grade) - Support and mentor the Oxygen ministry team in building a vibrant middle and high school youth ministry - Bridge collaboration between Oxygen and Prairie Heights Kids to create seamless family ministry experiences - Partner with the Youth Pastor on vision, programming, events, and parent engagement - Provide oversight and accountability for student ministry environments, safety, and volunteer development Pastoral Care - Participate in pastoral duties including weddings, funerals, hospital visits, and after-hours care, with a focus on families and individuals connected through Prairie Heights Kids or Oxygen Expectations: We believe who you are matters more than what you do. Every staff member at Prairie Heights is expected to: - Be growing in their relationship with Jesus and let that show in how they live, not just how they lead - Stay committed to their own development and be willing to invest in others along the way - Own the mission personally, not just professionally, and look for ways to connect people to Christ and a church family - Show up for the team with humility, accountability, and a genuine desire to make each other better - Be someone who carries Prairie Heights' staff commitments into every room they walk into: Carry the Vision, Follow First, Build Trust Daily, Grow Consistently, Celebrate Often, and Love Our Community - Lead from Prairie Heights' core values, not just when it's easy but when it counts: Pursue Jesus, Choose Community, Serve People, and Give Generously Required Qualifications - Committed follower of Jesus - Ordained pastor or in a pastoral track - 5 years of next generation pastoral experience including care, teaching, spiritual direction, and mentorship - Successful history of building, leading, motivating, and growing effective teams - Demonstrated experience developing a vision, creating goals, and measuring growth - 2 years of communication experience, specifically to kids or student audiences - Excellent communication skills: interpersonal, written, and verbal - Self-directed with ability to manage multiple projects successfully - Ability to develop short and long-range strategies to achieve departmental objectives and identify opportunities for future growth including staff planning - Commitment to the process of emotional health and self-care in all areas of life Preferred Qualifications - History of leading in a large church or large organization (1,000+) - Educational background that includes human development, behavioral and/or classroom management - Bachelor’s degree in Ministry, Education, or related field - Background in recruiting, training, and leading large volunteer teams - Experience with children’s ministry curriculum (such as Orange Curriculum)